Heart of Darkness: The Dark Stranger
by JusSonic
Summary: Just as the Care Bear Family is recovering from their battle against CrazyHeart, an old foe returns with a new monster in tow. Can the family save the day once again? With special thanks to Phoenix Audubuon for the use of his character Defender Bear. R R.


(Note: The first few seconds of this story takes place before Heart of Darkness: The Villains War was over. The rest took place after it was over.)  
  
The villain known as CrazyHeart was waiting for the other Care Bear Family to arrive. He already turned the first three members and his foe, PsychoHeart into stone.  
  
"Well, maybe I could play on my organ until my enemies arrived. Or maybe..." CrazyHeart began.  
  
"You can turn PsychoHeart over to me." A voice said.  
  
CrazyHeart looked alarmed. He looked around. The source of the voice came from the shadows.  
  
"Who is it?! Who dares invades in on the new ruler of uncaring?!" CrazyHeart demands.  
  
"I did and I want you to give me the now statue PsychoHeart." The voice said.  
  
"What do I get for cooperating?" asked CrazyHeart doubtfully.  
  
"You can keep your job as ruler of uncaring and I won't get in the way." The voice explained.  
  
CrazyHeart thought about this. This sounds reasonfully.  
  
"Deal!"  
  
CrazyHeart flies and returns, carrying the statue of PsychoHeart. He gives it to the unknown figure.  
  
"Thank you. Now tell no one who you gave it to. You can say you gave it away, but tell no one who the person is, or else." The voice said.  
  
"Don't worry. I won't after this is over." laughed the evil demon.  
  
The voice then left with the statue, leaving CrazyHeart to himself. The demon didn't know his plan would fail, but the new figure doesn't care.  
  
When the strange figure arrived at his castle, he sat the statue of PsychoHeart down and looked at it.  
  
"It's sad I used you for so long, PsychoHeart. But now, I will keep what I want from you." The figure said.  
  
The figure then shot a ball of energy at the statue, engulfing it and destroying it. The statue was now destroyed. The figure looked at it in satisfaction.  
  
"I should have gotten what you gotten from the power a long time ago, yet why don't I feel it? Maybe I did, but didn't feel it as of yet. No matter, I will finally use it to the last part of the power, as well as vengeance." The figure said.  
  
The figure laughed evilly.  
  
A few days later...  
  
The bears were still rebuilding the Forest of Feelings. They had finished the reconstruction of Care-A-Lot a few days ago, and now they are working on their cousins' home. The bears are happy, singing all the day as they worked. Harmony was leading the song, as Tender Heart, True Heart, Noble Heart and Brave Heart was leading the reconstruction.  
  
Loyal was working alone on his own house, silent as ever when he worked. Others said that the reason why he never song was the fact rain fall when he do it. His one hadn't suffer too much, but know when he sleep he could see the stars.  
  
A few meters away, Cheer, Champ, Grumpy and Bright was working on the raccoon's home.  
  
Hours later, night was falling. The four bears stopped their job and choose to eat their dinner in the front of the house.  
  
« Doggie, you're coming? » asked Cheer.  
  
The dog jumped off and come over to them.  
  
« Keep my ham ready. » was his answer.  
  
« Always hungry, Loyal. » joked Champ.  
  
« How what about your house? » asked Loyal.  
  
« It's nearly finish. And you? » answered Bright.  
  
« Still must keep raincoat on it. » whispered the doggie.  
  
All the bears laugh.  
  
The day ended in the Forest of Feelings and all the bears think they would be in peace for a while.   
  
They were wrong.  
  
Inside the dungeon of the mysterious figure, it looks like an evil lair of a monster. (Note from author: Just imagined it's like the Chamber of Secrets of the Harry Potter books, except without the snake statues). The dark figure is standing plotting.  
  
"It took me months, but I still don't know why I don't feel the part of the power I took away from PsychoHeart when I destroyed him. Never mind. I will investigate it later. It's time to come out of my absented. Well, not show myself until later. But still...never mind." said the voice.  
  
With a wave of a hand, he somehow opened a nearby gate which shows a deep cave.  
  
"Come out, my creature! Come out and take away the feelings of caring!" commanded the voice.  
  
Red eyes starting to glow from the darkness of the cave, and whatever is inside growls.  
  
Back at the Forest of Feelings.  
  
« Thanks for letting me sleep at your house tonight, Bright. » said Loyal.  
  
« No problem. I wouldn't want to see you ill and smelling like a wet dog tomorrow. » answered the raccoon with a smile.  
  
« Don't make too much noise during the night. I awake at every noise I heard. » said the dog as he put his camping bed up.  
  
« You're a vigilant dog guard. » laugh Bright.  
  
The two cousins put their things in order and begun to sleep.  
  
A dark thing moved in the night, his red eyes taking away all the good feelings of those who crossed his gaze. The monster choose to begun his work where the feelings of caring whose the more important. In the kingdom of caring.   
  
The dark marauder silently walked in the newly rebuild Care-A-Lot and saw an open window. He entered the bed room and saw two little ones.  
  
« Awake … » said the cold and chilly voice of the monster.  
  
Hugs and Tugs opened their eyes, this sleepy and unaware of what happened. The monster moved like a snake and cross his gaze with Tugs's. His power was to take away all the caring in the heart of somebody if he could put his gaze in his victim's during one minute. The blue baby wasn't awake enough to understand what happened and the monster hypnotized him.  
  
His fur turned gray and the colors of his tummy symbol faded.   
  
Hugs awake to see what happened to his brother. Wetting her diaper, she cried like a little baby having a nightmare. It was true.   
  
It was a nightmare.  
  
Grams hear the cry and go to her beloved little ones' nursery.  
  
« Hug had certainly a nightmare. She needs a caring paw and a fresh diaper. »   
  
She opened the door and finds in front of her the red eyed shadow. The monster used his hypnotic power on the old bear. Her fur turned more and more gray, and her tummy symbol's color faded.  
  
The shadow turned back on the still crying pink bear.  
  
« Stop crying, stupid baby! Change yourself your diaper or keep it. I don't care about you! » said Grams before leaving, an angry grin on her face.  
  
Outside, Light Heart is wandering around. Things happened to him and his family in the past few months. He been reunited with his family, he encountered No-Heart's evil brother, his family saved Christmas, and of course, they defeated CrazyHeart and reunited his alter ego with his son. He hopes Samuel doesn't remember he was CrazyHeart or who knows what would happened. Care-A-Lot was rebuilt and now the Forest of Feelings is in the middle of being rebuilt. Yep, life is good. Light was about to return home, when he saw someone out of the corner of his eye. He recognized him.  
  
"You, I remember you." Light exclaimed.  
  
Indeed, it is the stranger who the Care Bears met when PsychoHeart kidnapped some members of his family.  
  
"We have met again, but sadly, once again under bad troubles." The stranger said.  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"I come to warn you of an old threat and a new threat." The stranger said.  
  
"Is it PsychoHeart?" asked Light.  
  
"No. Someone worse as him. Also, beware the demon from beyond the Earth." The stranger said in a riddle.  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"I will not explain. This you will find out on your own."  
  
Then in a strange puff of noise, the stranger disappeared. Light looks confused.  
  
"Who is he? And what does he mean by "Demon from beyond the Earth?" Light asked.  
  
Light continued his wandering until he runs into Champ and Cheer.  
  
"Hiya sports fan. What's shaking?" asked Champ.  
  
"Well..."  
  
Before Light can continue, he heard a strange voice.  
  
"Destroy all caring."  
  
"Huh?! Did you two hear that?!" asked Light alarmed.  
  
"Heard what? I didn't hear anything." Cheer said.  
  
"It sounded like someone ordering someone or something to destroy caring." Light said puzzled.  
  
"I think you are hearing things, sport fan." Champ said, shaking his head.  
  
"Kill."  
  
"There it is again! I think it is coming from this way!" Light shout.  
  
Light ran off, with Cheer and Champ following him.  
  
"What's going on?" Cheer asked.  
  
The three stopped in front of Grams's house. Light heard the voice in the window where the living room is at.  
  
"It's in there!" Light said.  
  
"Help!" cried a familiar voice.  
  
"That's Hugs' voice!" Cheer said alarmed.  
  
Light used his strength to open the window. Something came rushing out knocking him down. By the time, he got back up, it was gone.  
  
"What was that?" asked Champ.  
  
"I don't know but I think it was after the cubs." Cheer said.  
  
Light looked in. Hugs is in there crying. Tugs is on the floor, unconscious. For some reason, he is gray.  
  
"What's going on?" Light asked.  
  
"Some...something came in my bedroom and made my brother all gray and made his tummy symbol all gone. It did the same thing to Grams, making her all mean and stuff. It almost carry me away." sniffing Hugs.  
  
"We better report this to True Heart. You better come with us. Who knows what Grams and Tugs would do since I think I know what just happened." said Champ.  
  
Light took Hugs and Tugs out of the living room and the foursome quickly ran to find True Heart. Meanwhile, the monster heads quietly to the Forest of Feelings...  
  
The dark gray Grams was walking in the Forest of Feelings, leading the monster to the house of one of the Cousins.  
  
"Brave Heart is the Cousins' leader. He fear the dark … You gonna frighten him easily once his little light will be shut off. After that, an easy target is Gentle Heart. She is weak-minded. Will fall easily in yours grasp." Grams was giving advice to the monster to hypnotize the care-bears cousins, and later to end with the care-bear family.  
  
A frightened Hugs in her arms, Cheer lead Champ and Light with the gray Tugs in his arms to Noble Heart and True Heart's house. It was late in the night, and the two founders were sleeping. Champs knocked a lot and they came to see what happened.  
  
« What's the problem? » asked Noble.  
  
« Big ones. » answered Light.  
  
A few minutes later, the two founders know what happened to the two babies and their grandmother.  
  
« Call Take Care. We gonna search for Grams later. We must know what the illness is that took Tugs and Grams. » said a calm True.  
  
Tugs awaken when Champ was searching for Take Care and the others bears listening to Hugs. An evil gaze on his face, he began to destroy True Heart's bedroom. When Cheer opened to look at him, she was afraid of what happened.  
  
« Why did you that, Tugs? » she tried to said.  
  
« Because it's evil, so it's cool. » was the blue baby's answer.  
  
Cheer can't believe it.  
  
Back in the Forest of Feelings, Brave Heart is in his room reading his book. Suddenly, the lights to his house went off. Brave Heart moans.  
  
"Great. And I just have it changed after we rebuilt it after the whole CrazyHeart nonsense. Great!" Brave Heart said with a frown.  
  
The lion head outside and check the fuse box. There appears to be some wires missing.  
  
"Okay, I may have to wake up Bright Heart to fix this, but it is too dark to go there right now and he may be in bed."  
  
He hears a growl and he looks around.  
  
"Who's there?! Show yourself or face the reason why I am the leader of the Care Bear Cousins!" Brave Heart demanded.  
  
He unfortunately took a look to his right and saw big red eyes looking at him. For some reason, he gulped.  
  
"Oh boy…" Brave Heart said as for some unknown reason his colors are disappearing.   
  
Back at Care-A-Lot, Champ found and woke up Take Care and took him back to True Heart and Noble Heart's house. They want the others in the living room, with Tugs wake and tied to a chair.  
  
"What's going on?" asked Take Care.  
  
"He was causing mayhem in my room, so we have to tie him up." True Heart explained.  
  
"Let me go! I was having so much fun!" Tugs said angrily.  
  
"No you aren't. You were being mean." Hugs said sadly.  
  
"Where are his colors?" asked Take Care.  
  
"That's the problem. We think both his colors and feelings been taken away." Light said. "I think there is a monster about."  
  
"Well, I may have to take a look at Tugs to see if I can help him." Take Care said.  
  
"I will have to get anyone who still has their feelings so they will be on the lookout for whatever did this." True Heart said.  
  
"And I will have to go to the Forest of Feelings. I have a bad feeling that whatever it was is there." Noble Heart explained while leaving.  
  
"I hope Grams is there." cried Hugs.  
  
"There, there, little one. I think she will be all right." Cheer said, calming the pink cub.  
  
"He was right. A Demon From Beyond The Earth." Light whispered, remembering what the stranger said earlier.  
  
Back in the Forest of Feelings, the monster is going inside Gentle Heart's house, with a more-gray Grams Bear and a now gray Brave Heart watching.  
  
Champ run to the Caring alarm back in Care-A-Lot. He looked at it and saw that the level of feelings was good.  
  
« It's unbelievable. The detector shows nothing. » said Champ, throwing his feet at the feet of the detector. The level decreased a lot.  
  
« Sabotage! » howled Champ, pushing the button of the alarm. The sound was heard in all the Forest of Feelings and Care-A-Lot.  
  
Loyal awake and howl to the moon, awaking the sleepy Bright.  
  
« Want to be walked out or some water, doggie? » said the half-sleepy raccoon.  
  
« Stop joking. The alarm is ringing. » answered Loyal.  
  
« What? Let's go! » said Bright as he was dressing himself.  
  
A few minutes later, the remaining Care Bears were back to the Hall of Hearts. Some bears took the time to came, so tired because of their work to rebuild their home.  
  
« 29, 30… » counted Noble.  
  
« We are 38! Where are the others? » asked Cheer.  
  
In the Forest, the shadow took advantage of the half-sleepy cousin when they tried to get out of their bed to go to the Hall of Hearts.  
  
"Wait. I hear something." Loyal said stopping.  
  
"What? I don't hear anything." Bright said puzzled.  
  
The creature is closing in, about to strike.  
  
"Get down!" Loyal screamed.  
  
Loyal pushed Bright out of the way as he shoots his ray beams at whatever is coming at them. The creature got hit and got away.  
  
"What is it?" Bright said.  
  
"I do not know, but we better report to True Heart and Noble Heart at once." said Loyal concerned.  
  
Meanwhile, elsewhere, the creature, still unseen, is by itself. It hears the voice of its master.  
  
"You fool! You let them escaped!" The voice bellowed.  
  
"I apologized, master. That dog senses me already. But at least, I got rid of caring of some creatures." The creature said quietly.  
  
"True. I got an idea that would get them all at once. First, bring the ones who lost their feelings to your home at once. Then go to Earth and..."  
  
Meanwhile, Bright and Loyal gotten to the Hall of Hearts just as the meeting is about to start.  
  
"There you two are. What's happened to you two?" ask Noble.  
  
"Something bad." Bright said, then he told Noble what happened.  
  
"What it is, it is bad and already gotten caring away from some members of our family." Cheer said trembling.  
  
"Do not worry, love. We will stop it, I hope." Champ said.  
  
"I think an old foe or someone yet to be announced is responsible. But who?" asked Tender.  
  
"It can't be PsychoHeart. He hasn't been seen since we fought CrazyHeart. Shriekly, Beastly, and PsychoHeart's assistant Joseph has been quiet though I won't overlook them. And I doubt Professor ColdHeart, Frostbite, or Auntie Freeze done this. This isn't their style." explain Swift Heart.  
  
"What about No-Heart?" asked Grumpy.  
  
"We hadn't seen him since I destroyed him, Grumpy." Light said.  
  
"Well, this monster and his master must be stop and we need all the help we got. Where is Defender Bear, Wish Bear?" asked True Heart.  
  
"Whose knows where he is. He hadn't seen him since before No-Heart's last defeat. I hope he is alright." Wish sigh, thinking about her lover.  
  
Suddenly, the alarm went off on the caring meter.  
  
"What now?" asked Good Luck.  
  
The remaining members went outside and Wish Bear took a look in her starscope.  
  
"There is trouble in a small town!" Wish exclaimed.  
  
"No doubt it is a trap, but we got to chance it." Noble announced.  
  
Take Care appeared.  
  
"Glad you arrived when you did, Take Care." Surprise said. "How's Tugs?"  
  
"I am still trying my best, but so far, I haven't seen anything like it. I will have to stay behind and take care of him some more." Take Care explain.  
  
"This is going to be difficult, I just know it." Grumpy grumped.  
  
Noble resume: « We need a plan. We had lost many of us, and the remaining can go in such a trap like Brave would love it. »  
  
Tender nodded: « It's obviously a trap. I think we can send two teams, and let the remaining family members stay here to keep an eye on Tugs, and prevent Take Care from falling into the grasp of this monster. He is the most skilled among us to find a solution to the change of colors of our fallen brothers and sisters. »  
  
True looked at her family: « Who is volunteer for going to Earth? ». She was sad to send her beloved children in a trap.  
  
Without surprise, Light, Loyal and Tender were the first to answer yes. Soon other followed. Ten bears for a dangerous mission: Light, Loyal, Tender, Surprise, Proud Bear, Bright, Swift, Cheer, Champ and the last, ranting a lot, Grumpy.  
  
They go to the Cloud Car parking lot and left their home.  
  
The others bears hope they'll be back soon and be victorious.  
  
In his lair, the fiend behind all this is chuckling as he views this in a see-through portal.  
  
"Good. So far, they are doing what I expect them to do. Time to put them in a false sense of security. And only then will I only get vengeance on those freaks of nature." The figure said evilly.  
  
He laughs evilly.  
  
When the first team arrived, the town looks deserted. No one is around.  
  
"I don't like the looks of this place, Champ." Cheer said afraid.  
  
"Me either, love. But we got to stop whatever causing us trouble before it takes away the feelings of those who lived here as well." Champ said.  
  
"We'd better ask the locals if they see anything." Bright said.  
  
"Good idea. Here's one now. Excuse me, sir." asked Tender as he taps on someone's shoulder.  
  
This someone's back was turned to them, but when he turned around, he just stared. He looks like Oikawa from "Digimon", but he got some scars on his face.  
  
"What do you want?" The man asked.  
  
"Uh, we are looking for a creature that is loose here. Had you seen anything?" asked Proud nervously.  
  
"No, not really. But then again, who cares?" asked the man.  
  
The team shuddered. Hearing someone ask that makes them uneasy. But still, they got to save him if his feelings are to return.  
  
"Well, thanks anyway, Mr…" started Swift.  
  
"Christopher. Now if you excuse me, I need to be alone."  
  
The man left.  
  
"What a strange fellow." Surprise commented.  
  
"If we are to stop this creature from going too far, we better split up. Me, Cheer, Proud, Surprise, and Bright will go one way. The others would go another way." said Tender.  
  
"What's that you're holding, little buddy?" Champ asked Bright.  
  
"Oh this? This is Defender Bear's diary. I borrowed it in case there is something inside we may need." Bright said.  
  
"Let's go. We don't have much time!" Grumpy said.  
  
With that, Tender, Cheer, Proud, Surprise, and Bright went one way, while Champ, Light, Loyal, Swift, and Grumpy went the other way.  
  
In Tender's group, Bright looks in Defender's diary.  
  
"I don't know why you even think of looking in there. I don't think Defender would like that." Surprise said, knowing it was best not to ruined surprises.  
  
"I know, but he allows us to take a peek if we want to view his adventures before we meet him." explained Bright.  
  
He continued to look in it, he saw something that catch his interest. He took out a red marker and marked the place he was looking at.  
  
"I think I know what the creature is!" Bright announced.  
  
"Really? What is it?" Cheer asked, eager to stop it.  
  
"It's..."  
  
"Look out!" Tender shouted, interrupting Bright.  
  
That's because the creature has just attacked!  
  
In Champ's group, Champ seems nervous.  
  
"Nervous to be away from Cheer, Champ?" asked Loyal.  
  
"I know, but I will get over it." Champ assured himself.  
  
While this is going on, Light is thinking to himself.  
  
"What does that stranger meant by "Demon from Beyond the Earth?" thought Light.  
  
Then he heard the voice.  
  
"Kill. Destroy all caring."  
  
"Oh no! I heard it again!" exclaimed Light alarmed.  
  
"What? What is it?" Swift asked.  
  
Light ran off. The others go after him.  
  
"Light, wait! It's maybe a trap!" Champ yelled.  
  
Light stopped, so did the others in horror. They see the other team unconscious and they are all gray.  
  
"Oh no. Not Cheer." moaned Champ.  
  
"We got to get them back to Care-A-Lot." Loyal said.  
  
When they got back to Care-A-Lot with the gray bears, True Heart and Noble Heart are there, worry.  
  
"What's wrong, True Heart? Did you know about what happened to some of us?" asked Swift.  
  
"We didn't know that until now. What's even worse is something bad happened." Noble Heart said, worried.  
  
"Huh?" puzzled Grumpy.  
  
"Come, look at this!" True Heart said.  
  
They go to where the others are looking at something on a wall of the Hall of Hearts. They saw what is written:  
  
"Enemies of Uncaring Beware!  
  
For her bones will remain in the Cave of Nothingness forever!"  
  
"Her? What does it mean?" asked Light.  
  
True Heart looks serious.  
  
"Before you got back, we were busy keeping an eye on Hugs and the still gray Tugs. We heard a scream and when we realize one of us wasn't with us, we headed towards her house." she said sadly.  
  
"Who?" asked Champ.  
  
"Wish Bear." Noble Heart said groomily.  
  
"Oh no. As if losing Cheer to the creature was bad enough." moaned Champ.  
  
Loyal looked at all the bears. « I'm sure the creature left something behind it. A clue … »  
  
True was worrying about the bears unconscious on the ground, and see a book in the hand of Bright.  
  
« Defender Bear's diary … » she whispered.  
  
« What's that? » asked Light, taking the book.  
  
« A clue? » ranted Grumpy.  
  
Light opened the diary and found a mark.  
  
« Once I had visited a strange and dark place named the Cave of Nothingness, it was in some shadowed mountains, far away from Care-A-Lot … » Light begun to read.  
  
« It's the place where Wish is! » said Champ, already ready to go.  
  
« I had no other ideas besides trying to go to it. » said Loyal.  
  
« Go to it. We will stay here and take care of our friends. » said Noble, as True was crying on her fallen children.  
  
Loyal, Grumpy, Swift and Champ leaded by Light take a cloud car and drive to the place describe in the diary.  
  
In the dark castle, a clad figure was looking at a bound Wish.  
  
« You're friends are so predicable. It's why I'll deal easily with them. They all had great qualities: loyalty, ingeniosity, speed, might and courage. But each of them had defaults link to their qualities: stubbornness, grumpiness, brash, pride and lack of self confidence. » An evil laugh was heard in the castle, making the poor Wish's ears hurt  
  
When the foursome got to the shaded mountains, they realized it was scarier than they thought. The place looks like the place True-Heart and Noble-Heart went to when they were unknowingly chasing Dark Heart's shadow for a while, except this place is scarier.  
  
"Brrr. This place is darker than No-Heart's place." commented Swift scared.  
  
"I know, but the Cave of Nothingness where our friends are at is around here somewhere. We just have to find it." Grumpy said.  
  
Just then, Loyal saw a shadow at the corner of his eye.  
  
"Who's there?! Show yourself!" demand Loyal.  
  
"Who are you talking to?" asked Champ, puzzled.  
  
Just then, the shadow appeared. The good guys quickly recognized it.  
  
"Defender Bear!" they all said exclaimed.  
  
"Hello, my beloved family. It's good to see you again, though I wish you never came here." Defender Bear said.  
  
"Why is that?" asked Light.  
  
Defender looked at Light, puzzled. "Who are you?" he asked.  
  
"This is our new family member, Light," explained Champ, "We found him recently after No-Heart's last defeat.  
  
"Speaking of which, why are you here?" asked Swift.  
  
"I came here sometimes to think and be alone. The evil forces never expected someone to be hiding in something and dark glooming. Although you guys know better than to come here." Defender Bear explained.  
  
"We have to come here for a reason. Our friends have their feelings lost and been taken to the Cave of Nothingness." said Loyal.  
  
"The Cave of Nothingness?!" said Defender shocked.  
  
"Then you do remember it?" asked Grumpy.  
  
"Yes, I remember it well." said Defender, as if in a trance. "Before I met you, I found a monster that comes from that dreadful cave. It is the Nocartisk."  
  
"The Nocartisk?" The others asked.  
  
"Yes, the Nocartisk, a creature that looks like it came out of men's nightmares. If anyone looks into its red eyes, all their love and feelings will be taken away leaving them empty. And if its' eyes doesn't get you, its venom definitely will. Even a bite from this monster means fatal." explained Defender gravely.  
  
"So that's what got our friends. The Nocartisk." said Champ, thinking about Cheer.  
  
"Anyway, the only way the feelings would return if the monster was either killed or trapped back in its cave which opening opens every 4000 years. I risk my life to lure it back to its cave. Then I closed the opening with my magic and vowed never to enter that realm of evil again." Defender said.  
  
"Well, someone must have reopened it. You know where it is, you must take us to that cave." said Swift.  
  
"No! I almost died defeating that monster once, and I don't want to risk it again!" exclaimed Defender.  
  
"You have to. The Nocartisk got Wish Bear." said Light.  
  
"Wish Bear?!" said Defender shocked.  
  
"Yep, whoever let the Nocartisk out said her bones will remain in the Cave of Nothingness forever." Light continued.  
  
This got to Defender Bear.  
  
"Wish Bear...my love." said Defender, then he got a determine look on his face. "We must save her! Come, my friends! Time's wasting! Follow me!"  
  
Defender quickly left, waving his friends to follow him. They did.  
  
When they got to the Cave of Nothingness, Defender is shocked to see the cave's opening. Grumpy spoke up.  
  
"The cave's opening. It's opened again!" said Grumpy.  
  
"It can't be! I sealed it with my magic! It takes someone with magic to reopen it!" Defender said.  
  
"Well, what are you waiting for, sports fan? In the words of Brave Heart, Charge!" Champ shout.  
  
He ran inside.  
  
"Champ! Look out for that first..."  
  
They then hear a trip and a fall inside the cave. The others cringed when they hear the landing.  
  
"Step." finished Defender.  
  
The others sighed and went inside.  
  
The inside of the cave was dreadful. They found Champ in a pile of bones. Once they got him up, he shook his dizziness off.  
  
"Well, I will remember not to do that again." Champ said embarrassed.  
  
"Come. Our friends are around here somewhere." Defender said taking the leader role.  
  
After a few seconds of looking around, they found the dungeon that Defender Bear trapped the monster that long ago. They found Wish on the floor unconscious.  
  
"Wish Bear! My love!" cried Defender.  
  
He ran over to her and tries to wake her up. The others go over to him. Wish hadn't woken up though.  
  
"What's wrong?" asked Light.  
  
"I can't wake her up!" Defender said sadly.  
  
"Well, isn't this a pathetic sight."  
  
The family looks up to see...Christopher coming in.  
  
"Christopher! I don't know how you got here, but you got to help us!" said Grumpy.  
  
"Why?" asked Christopher.  
  
"Because something evil will arrive soon and Wish is unconscious, that's why!" explained Champ.  
  
"Don't worry, the Nocartisk won't attack unless it's called on."  
  
"What?!"  
  
The others look shocked at what Christopher said.  
  
"What do you mean by that?" asked Swift.  
  
"Come on now. Who else knew about the Cave of Nothingness recently?" Christopher asked.  
  
He then smiled a very evil smile. The family realized why he smiled that way.  
  
"You?!" asked the family shocked.  
  
"But why?" asked Light.  
  
"Let me explain my background and when you hear it, you will see why. You see I was born a long time ago in the medieval ages." Christopher started explaining.  
  
"What the...but you can't have been born a long time ago!" said Defender.  
  
"That's right. But a long time ago, me and my brothers found a meteorite that hit the Earth a long time ago. It broke off and we each got three pieces of the power. My brother Timothy got the piece that holds Wisdom, my other brother got the piece that has Courage, and me? I had the piece that holds the Ultimate Power!" said Christopher.  
  
The bears are silenced as Christopher continues his story.  
  
"Those pieces not going gave us those gifts but it gave us immortality as well. That's why I am here today." said Christopher.  
  
"Okay, but that still doesn't explain..."  
  
"How I came upon the Cave of Nothingness. Easy. I am weak you see, but I got enough power to reopened the cave and got past Defender's silly magic!" laughed Christopher.  
  
Defender got angry, but the others calm him down.  
  
"Then, I met the Nocartisk itself. I wasn't affected by its red eyes because...well, I have no feelings to begin with. To thank me, it decided to help me in my new plan ever."  
  
"Then...then it was you who send the Nocartisk to take our family's feelings away!" Swift said angrily.  
  
"And took away the feelings of my beloved Cheer!" said Champ also angry.  
  
"True." said Christopher, smiled eviler then before.  
  
"Why did you kidnap Wish?" demand Defender.  
  
"I need to lure you all here, well, one most of all, but you get the picture." said Christopher.  
  
"Why? Shouldn't you use the Nocartisk to take away the feelings of everyone on Earth?" asked Swift.  
  
"Swift Heart!" said Loyal annoyed at Swift's question.  
  
"The rabbit got the point. But taking away feelings from the caring is not my concern right now. It's him." Christopher then points to Light.  
  
"Me?! Why me?!" said Light, shocked.  
  
"For vengeance, of course. First off, I want to know how you returned to your true form after you defeated the great and all powerful No-Heart." asked Christopher angrily.  
  
"Why did you want to get me for defeating No-Heart once and for all? You never met us until now." said Light confused.  
  
'Because...No-Heart is my past, present...and future!" said Christopher angrily.  
  
It took a while for them to realize what Christopher meant, but to their horror, they found out the true identify of Christopher.  
  
"You...you are No-Heart?" asked Defender shocked.  
  
"That is correct." smiled No-Heart.  
  
Light look at the man who turned David into Dark Heart and which in turn made himself evil and separated him from his family to begin with. He can't believe it.  
  
"It...it can't be! I destroy you." said Light still not believing it.  
  
"You think you destroy me?! Ha! I refused to die. So after you defeat me, I used my power I was given to get a new form. Unfortunately, I only managed to get the grownup form of the pathetic boy I used to be, only not so scarred looking and weaker than my scarred self." said No-Heart.  
  
"Used to be?" asked Grumpy.  
  
"You don't think I stay Christopher forever do you?! To be the most fear wizard in the world, I changed my name to No-Heart! And to finally take over this world, I must become all powerful." No-Heart continued.  
  
The bears back away.  
  
"Now that I got the wisdom power I gotten when I killed PsychoHeart, I will put it to the test once and for all." He looks at the bears and smiles very evilly. "Now let's see how the powers of the great and all powerful No-Heart fared against the cute and annoying Care Bear family and the traitor Light Heart!"  
  
He turned around and spoke in an evil voice to an empty gate nearby. Light recognized it.  
  
"It's the same voice I heard when the Nocartisk attacked." thought Light. "No wonder I am the one who can hear it. I used to be evil too. Plus, now I know what the stranger meant by "Demon From Beyond The Earth."  
  
"Run!" The others see that Defender Bear is running away. "If you look in the Nocartisk's eyes, you will lose your feelings! Or worse, you will get killed by its venom!"  
  
The others took his advice and run. Just then the creature itself crawled out of the gate. If the family did turn to see it, it was an ugly sight. The creature got the body of a Dodongo, scales of a dinosaur, and shivers and got teeth like a snake. It got red eyes. The new and improved No-Heart points to the running away family members.  
  
"Kill!" ordered No-Heart. "Take away their feelings if you have to, but kill them!!!!"  
  
The bears needed to react immediately. Swift run away, and take Defender with him in the run. Loyal took Light with him and begun to jump behind some rocks, searching a fitting place to think of a plan. Grumpy ranted and flee in another direction.  
  
But Champ…  
  
But Champ stood in the way of the monster. « I'll make you paid for what you had done! I'll not flee from you! » The sport bear begun to summon a Care Bear stare. The monster stopped his advance one moment, the power of caring keeping him away. But soon Champ began to tire. He wasn't able to keep the stare more-longer. When his stare began to be too weak, the monster walked quietly toward him.  
  
Loyal get his head out of his hidden place. « I must save him! » he said before Light took him back behind the rocks.  
  
« You can't do anything against him, doggie. » said the white bear, keeping the dog hidden.  
  
The last thing they heard of Champ was a whispering name.  
  
« Cheer … »  
  
« Find the others! » howl Christopher.  
  
The monster began his hunt again. He goes in the direction of Light and Loyal, when suddenly a voice was heard.  
  
« I'm here! ».  
  
It was Swift that was showing his tongue to the monster. With an horrible roar, the thing begun to follow Swift in all the grotto, the rabbit being at a place at one time, and another a few seconds later.  
  
« You'll never catch me! » continued to tease the cousin.  
  
At the same time, Defender and Grumpy came back to Light and Loyal.  
  
« We need a plan. Swift can't lure the monster forever. » said Light with a firm voice.  
  
« Yes, but who had an idea? » asked the ranting blue bear.  
  
« We'll make two teams and take a different way. There is somewhere in this place a way to deal with this monster. Christopher had not got enough magic to control this monster. He must have to use another thing. » said Defender, putting his gaze in each of his new friends and brothers and cousins.  
  
« Which teams? » Loyal wanted to ask when a scream was heard.  
  
They look at was happened. It was Swift who had fall on a rock and had his feelings take away.  
  
« No time for indecision, time for action! » Loyal and Defender said at the same time.  
  
The two get out of their hidden place.  
  
« Find a solution … » said Loyal.  
  
« Or we will all be doomed. » ended Defender as they both choose to fight.  
  
With rants, Grumpy and Light goes away, giving a last sign to their friends.  
  
« We await you at Care-A-Lot! Don't be late for dinner! » said Light before turning back to found a way in the cave.  
  
Loyal turned to Defender. « Your name is Defender? The one that protect the others? »  
  
The white bear agreed. « And yours is Loyal. The one that do all he can for his friends. »  
  
« It's time to prove we are worthy of ours names. » said the dog with a smile.  
  
« Yes. I don't know if we had any chance, but we can try. » was his friend answer.  
  
« Brother of arms, I know you had magic. I had a sword. » Loyal summoned a plastic sword made with his tummy symbol, a silver one with a heart on it.   
  
« Time to see if they can be together. »  
  
« Sure they can be. We had our family and the world to protect. » said Defender, a flame in his eyes.  
  
« If anybody can be heroes, for us it's time. » was the dog last sentence.  
  
They both looked at the monster and know they need to buy at an expensive cost the time Light and Grumpy needed.  
  
The monster searched for the remaining family members, until it heard Loyal's voice.  
  
"Over here, you stupid monster!" yelled Loyal.  
  
The Nocartisk turned to the source of Loyal's voice. Loyal ran away to avoid its red eyes. The monster is getting closer but then Loyal tripped. Christopher/No-Heart watched from afar.  
  
"Well, I was going to get the Nocartisk to chase after the escaping Light, but I believed you will be substitutes that will show that traitor the result of his cowardly ways. Wait a minute, someone's missing." Christopher said, looking to see whose missing.  
  
The monster was about to pounced, Loyal isn't about to look it in the eyes. Then something landed on the monster's head.  
  
"I should have known this would happen. Look up, you fool!" yelled the dark wizard.  
  
Indeed, Defender Bear managed to jump on the Nocartisk's head, then with his eyes closed, he used his magic on the monster's eyes, hurting him. The monster roared as red goo came out of his eye sockets, and Defender jumped off as the monster ran around crazy.  
  
"It's okay, you can look now, Loyal." said Defender.  
  
Loyal did so, and this time, his feelings remains as the monster calm itself down.  
  
"You fools! You may have managed to blind the Nocartisk, but it can still hear you! Attack!" ordered Christopher.  
  
The monster uses whatever senses it has to track the two. The two got out of the way.  
  
"It's time to end this!" Defender then uses his magic powers to power-up Loyal's sword. The sword starts to glow. "The Nocartisk must go down if the feelings of our family members are to return!"  
  
Just as he said this, the monster knocked Defender down. Loyal quickly ran away as the monster ran close behind.  
  
"If I remember right, its bite is fatal, so I must avoid it." Loyal thought to himself.  
  
Loyal stopped at a wall, and turns to face the monster. The monster stopped and begins to pounce. Loyal barely managed to avoid its bites. Loyal wait for it...then as the monster got closer to strike, Loyal strikes at it hard. It harms the monster hard. Loyal then screams. The Nocartisk managed to bite into him before backing away.   
  
Then with one final scream, it fell down. Christopher watch as his monster dissolved away. Loyal goes weakly to Wish. Wish finally woke up.  
  
"Where am I?" Wish said mumbling.  
  
Defender ran to her.  
  
"Wish Bear! You are awaked." Defender said tears in his eyes, hugging her.  
  
"I am glad to see you." She gasp as she saw Loyal's wound where he was bitten. "Loyal, you are hurt!"  
  
"Pathetic fool." said Christopher evilly. "He will die soon, and that shows what would happen to those who opposed No-Heart.  
  
"No...it won't go out this way. I won't let it." Defender said.  
  
Defender's tears then came running down. Some of the drops hit Loyal's wound. To the good guys' amazement and to Christopher/No-Heart's shock, the wound is gone.  
  
"What?! What?! That's impossible! Nothing could have gotten rid of the Nocartisk's bite unless..." began a shocked Christopher/No-Heart.  
  
"Unless the tears of the phoenix that can heal mortal wounds can say so. I should know, I was raised by one myself. So in other words, you lost No-Heart." said Defender stern.  
  
"Fools! This isn't over yet! I will return. Mark my words!!!!" yelled Christopher/No-Heart.  
  
Then in a puff of smoke, he disappeared.  
  
"Where did he go?" Wish asked.  
  
"Far away, I hope." Loyal said.  
  
Then, as if in a brink of an eye, Champ and Swift Heart woke up, their colors back to normal.  
  
"Ouch. I felt like I have been hit with a Jackhammer." moaned Swift.  
  
"It worked! The Nocartisk is truly gone, and your feelings and colors have been restored, my family." said Defender happy.  
  
Then the family members who were taken to the cave by the monster appeared.  
  
"You did it! I don't know how, but you did!" Grams said, back to normal.  
  
"That is the last time I go out after dark." shivered Brave Heart. "This place is even darker if you ask me."  
  
"What's going on?" asked an also shivered Gentle Heart.  
  
"Your feelings were taken away by a monster send by No-Heart." said Champ gravely.  
  
The family members gasped.  
  
"No-Heart?" asked Brave Heart, disbelieved.  
  
"We will tell that to True Heart and Noble Heart when we return home.  
  
Speaking of which, we should do so now and see if the ones who lost their feelings are now restored." said Defender.  
  
The bears came back to Care-A-Lot, their feelings restored. A great feast was made in the Hall of Hearts. In the center of the feast, Hugs was so happy to be able to be with her brother Tugs. All the bears were happy of their new victory.  
  
But Defender and Loyal goes to Noble and True with a sad grin.  
  
« What's the problem? » asked Noble.  
  
« We had won this day, but the bad news is … » said Loyal.  
  
« No-Heart is back, more powerful as ever. » add Defender.  
  
« Don't worry. We had beaten him thousand times. We'll beat him this time again. Good guys always win, remember? » answered True with a smile.  
  
Loyal grinned as he think to his wound, but smiled.  
  
It wasn't time to despair, but to enjoy.  
  
Indeed, the family is finally reunited. Champ gets a kiss from his girlfriend Cheer, as of Defender getting one from Wish. Unknown to them, the mysterious figure who warned Light of the danger earlier is watching them once more.  
  
"You have done well, Care Bears. But can this truly be a victory?" the figure asked.  
  
Then, he disappeared from sight once more.  
  
Back in the new and improved No-Heart's castle, the wizard is sitting in his throne, fuming angrily about his recent loss to the Care Bears.  
  
"Those sick freaks of nature had defeated my creature. I had gotten my brother's power after killing him and I still can't destroy them! WHY CAN'T I DESTROY SOMETHING SO SIMPLE?!" yelled No-Heart aloud.  
  
"Geez, calm down, willya? You look like you are about to explode like a volcano or something." said a voice out of nowhere.  
  
No-Heart is startled and looks to see who has entered the room. It is some sort of demon with god-like clothes, nasty looking teeth, and it looks like his hair is on fire. It is...literally.  
  
"Hello, I am Hades, lord of the dead. How are ya doing?" said the demon in a James Woods-like voice.  
  
The End?  
  
Cast list  
  
Chris Wiggins: Christopher/No-Heart  
  
Tom Kane: Light Heart Bear  
  
Terry Sears: Champ Bear  
  
Terri Hawkes: Cheer Bear, Baby Hugs  
  
Dan Hennessey: Loyal Heart Dog, Brave Heart Lion, Good Luck Bear  
  
Phoenix Audubon: Defender Bear  
  
Billie Mae Richards: Bright Heart Raccoon  
  
Jim Cummings: The Nocartisk  
  
Frank Welker: The Mysterious Figure  
  
Pam Hyatt: Noble Heart Horse  
  
Maxine Miller: True Heart Bear  
  
Melleny Brown: Baby Tugs  
  
Rob Paulsen: Take Care Bear  
  
Jim Henshaw: Tender Heart Bear  
  
Eva Almos: Swift Heart Rabbit  
  
Bob Dermer: Grumpy Bear  
  
Janet-Laine Green: Wish Bear  
  
Paul Rugg: Surprise Bear  
  
Luba Goy: Gentle Heart Lamb  
  
With special guest appearances by  
  
Neil Ross: CrazyHeart  
  
James Woods: Hades  
  
Coming soon! Not one, but two stories!  
  
"Histerical Caring"  
  
No-Heart is back, and this time he isn't alone! He teamed up with myth god and Disney villain Hades and other villains to take over the world and get rid of caring forever! But the Care Bears got new allies in forms of the Histerians! The Care Bears teamed up with the cast of Histeria! against the combined villainy of No-Heart and Hades in a story called "Histerical Caring!"  
  
"Heart of Darkness: The Gate to the Bad Realm"  
  
CrazyHeart is back, and this time he isn't joking around...well, much anyway. He made a new weapon that opens a portal to an evil and uncaring place called...The Bad Realm. And he is planning on using it on the Care Bear Family! However, he is at the same time pursued by a returning Joseph, Beastly, and Shriekly for the death of Dr. PsychoHeart. But is the brother of No-Heart really dead?! Look for the fifth installment of the Heart of Darkness series coming soon called "Heart of Darkness: The Gate to The Bad Realm".  
  
With thanks to Phoenix Audubon for use of his Defender Bear character. And now...read and review! 


End file.
